A few animals popped their heads up fleetingly, and then dived into the depths, eluding nets that researchers set to catch and tag them.

These are creatures that Seminoff describes as “small dinosaurs”; the biggest ones can weigh in at a quarter ton. So you would think they’d be easy to spot.

Not necessarily. Ground rules on their habitat and behavior have been upended over the past year, since the South Bay Power Plant was decommissioned and later demolished.

The turtles used to bask in the warm water of its outfall and were typically on call at the “Jacuzzi” when researchers came searching. Since the power plant closed, the creatures have dispersed throughout the bay. The change allows researchers to study the animals in a more natural environment. But it also means they have to puzzle out their whereabouts anew.

Beyond persistence, wildlife biology demands some decidedly non-academic skills. Boating, mechanics, fishing and net-making are some of the basics in turtle research.

Our intern, Heather Randall, was called upon to help pull in the 100-meter long nets used to capture turtles. Noting that the process offered a thorough upper body workout, she described it as a multi-person task:

“The researchers use small boats that allow someone to lie down and get close enough to the water to grab a buoy. From there, that person will stand up and begin to gently pull up one side of the net while an additional person stands behind to help remove debris... The captain must be able to drive the boat in such a way that the boat glides along the side of the net without becoming entangled in it.”

We’ll be checking back in recent weeks to capture news and photos for an in-depth look at the gentle giants.